Julius Randle
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Julius Randle during Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Julius Randle has had a rough playoff series for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. His performance in Game 4 on Monday night didn’t provide comfort for him or the team, prompting criticism from a former NBA player.
In 28 minutes of action, Randle was unable to create any type of rhythm throughout his time on the court. He finished with five points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal. He shot 1-of-7 from the field, including 0-3 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.
This series, Randle is averaging 15.8 points, six rebounds and three assists per game. He has shooting splits of 45.7% overall, including 41.2% from downtown.
However, the numbers can be misleading when the context comes into play. Games 1 and 3 were his best performances as he scored more than 20 points in both of those contests. In Games 2 and 4, he combined for 11 points as he is having a hard time trying to stay consistent.
This resulted in former NBA player Lou Williams chiming in with his thoughts on Randle’s struggles. He appeared on a May 27 edition of the “Run It Back” show, calling out the Timberwolves forward for not making big plays down the stretch and playing the way where he can help Minnesota.
“He’s gotta play better. … This was a 2-point game and you have a guy that shoots 1-7…gonna be a hard pill for them to swallow in the offseason, knowing they were so close to these opportunities,” Williams said.
.@TeamLou23 calls Julius Randle’s Game 4 performance ‘unacceptable’ 😬
“He’s gotta play better. … This was a 2-point game and you have a guy that shoots 1-7…gonna be a hard pill for them to swallow in the offseason, knowing they were so close to these opportunities.” pic.twitter.com/QCUBFf2oiz
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 27, 2025
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What’s next for Julius Randle, Timberwolves
Julius Randle
GettyJulius Randle takes a shot in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.
While it is important for Julius Randle to bounce back from his struggles, it doesn’t change the fact that he is having the best postseason of his NBA career with the Timberwolves.
His first two attempts with the New York Knicks didn’t go as planned. In 15 playoffs games in 2021 and 2023, he produced 17.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists under 35% shooting from the field.
Randle has redeemed himself with his third try, this time with the Timberwolves. He is averaging 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while 49.8% of his total shot attempts.
Minnesota greatly benefitted from Randle elevating his game in the playoffs, taking down the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the first two rounds. However, they will need to him be more consistent as their season depends on Randle, Anthony Edwards and key players coming through for the remainder of the West Finals. If they wish to reach their first-ever NBA Finals, then that’s what it will take.
The Timberwolves will fight to keep their season alive when they face the Thunder in Game 5. The contest will take place on May 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET.